Apparatus for coaling vessels.



A'A'ENTED AUG. A@ A905.

NGA

L, A., DE MAYO. APPARATUS POP, OALING WSSBLA APPLICATION FILED 13130.31, 3.903

NDREW B GHANA" CU` ViIUI0 LIYNQUYHPAKEI'KSK4 V/SNUJGTOI D. C

No. 797,364. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. L. A. DE MAYO.

APPARATUS FUR COALING VESSELS.

APPLwATxoN FILED 1120.31.1903. A

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.

L.' A. DE MAYO.

APPARATUS FUR COALING VESSELS APPLICATION FILED DEO. 31I 1903A WIT/VESSESI A TTHNE YS :mouw c emma co. woYu-umonulmns. wmlmamu D. a Y

" iillilillil.

LOUIS A. DE MAYU, OF NEWr YOPRh, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application iled December 31, 1903` iatented. Aug. 15, 1905.

Serial No. 187,345.

Be it known that l, VLouis A. Dn llt/iro, a citizen ot the United States, and a resident o'l the city olA N ew York, borough o'li Manhattan, in the county and State ofv New York, have invented a new and improved Apparatus 'lfor Sealing Vessels, of which the following is a. full, clear, and exact descriptimi.

This invention relates` particularly to an organized apparatus 'tor coaling and approximately trimming the bunkers olE modern. vessels, particularly the modern sea-going steam-- ers. Under the practice herctoin'e iollowed the trimming of the coal in the bunkers constitutes the principal part of the work of coaling a ship, since usually the coal is merely elevated. to the coaling-port and then trimmed by hand.

The prime object oi" my invention is not only to elevate the coal to and distribute it into the coaling-port oi thc ship, but to provide means for distributing the coal into the various bunker-hatches, thus reducing to a minimum the work of .hand-trinnning. 1 attain this end by providing7 in combination with the elevatorl proper, a peculiarly-arranged distributor which takes the coal Afrom the ehwator proper and coiujlucts it to any desired point within the interior of the ship, Athis distrilmting means being extensible and adjustable and being ot such structure that it may be taken apart and .removed Vfrom the ship through the coaling-port thereoii.

A liurther object oi the invention is to provide means for sustainingl the elevator proper 'flexibly in position alongside oi the ship, so that any .movement of the barge from which the coal taken will not destroy or rack any oll the parts oi the apparatus and as the coal- `level lowers in the barge the elevator will be capable oiA dropping down to meet the gradually-lowering level ot the coal.

A Further object is to so construct the elevator proper that it will discharge all of the coalv :lroin its spout without spilling any back :into the barge or mier-board. It has heretoiiore been a great disadvantage with appara.- tus of this sort that considerable oi the material handled was spilled Vtrom the elevator. .liy means of the peculiariy-constructed elevator which l have provided l insure the dc- .livery ilirom the elevator ot all oit the coal taken in the buckets thereof.

1li still :[urther object oiE the invention is to so arrange the delivory-chute which leads to the coaling-imrt that this may be readily adl justed to suit the gradual settling of the elevater due to the lowering of the coal-level within the barge.

ln attaining these and various .minor objects l provide a concrete organism by means of which a continual stream of coal is kept in motion `from the bar ke to the bunkers, thus expediting the work of coaling the ship, the amiaratus being completely removable i'roin the ship after the operation has been. linished, so that it may be transported irom one point to another with perfect convenience.

This specification is an exact description of one example of the invention, while the claims de'i'ine the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a view showing a general outline oi" the ship and coal-barge in section and illustrating the operative position oil. my apparatus with respect thereto. Fig. lil is a iraginentaryside elevation particularly showing the elevator and the guiding means thereM for, which allows the elevator to drop into the barge, as hereinbeiiore explained. Fig. 2 is an enlargedv longitudinal sectiono't the elevator proper, showing the buckets, belt, and spout thereof. Vl. `ig. .5 is a still Yfurther enlargement showing one of the buckets in section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l and illustrating also the `liexagonal drum at the top ol.l the elevator proper. Fig. t is a liront elevation of a part ol' the conveyor-belt, showing one of the buckets in section on the line 4- 4 ot Fig.

`Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section oi" the distributor, illustrating the manner ol extending or contracting the same andv the means for adjustably mounting it. Fig. (i is a plan view of these parts, and Fig. 7 is an inner vend elevation of the same.

As shown best in Fig. 2, the elevator proper beams with suitable bracings between them. This frame 1() is provided at its upper end with a tackle l1, which may be hung -from one of the ships davits, as illustrated in Fig. 1, or 'from a crane or other means with which the ship may be ordinarily or especially provided. indicates a number oi.t guy-tackles which extend between the frame l() and the barge. Preferably these tackles are three in number, two extending to the respective ends oi' the barge and one being fastened to the .has a 'framing l0, formed ot longitudinal outboard-rail thereof. Attached to each side of the frame 10 on the corners adjacent to the ship are longitudinally-extending rails 14, on which fit loosely sleeves 15. To these sleeves are pivoted guy-rods 16. Said rods have hooks 17 at their opposite ends, and these hooks are adapted to be engaged with the rail or other convenient part of the ship at each side of the elevator proper' in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 1*. The lower end of the elevator proper dips into the barge, as shown, and it may be observed that by means of the peculiar supjiorting-tackles and guys the elevator proper is flexibly sustained in its operative position and by slacking away on the tackle 11 as the occasion requires the elevator may be allowed to drop into the barge, so as to keep its bottom properly sunk in the coal therein. In the lower end of the elevator-frame 10 is arranged a hexagonal drum 18, which is suitably mount- 'ed therein, and in the upper end of the frame a similar drum 19 is located, the upper drum 19 being provided, however, with a pulley-fatI e over which passes a suitable driving belt or chain 20. This belt or chain also passes over a pulley21, mounted below the drum 19 and connected with a larger pulley 22, over which passes a suitable belt or chain 23 from a motor 24. The motor is preferably of the electric type and is sustained inside of t-he frame 10, thus producing a compact arrangement and protecting the motor from damage during the handling of the apparatus. Passing over the hexagonal drums 18 and 19 is the conveyer-belt, which is made up, as shown in Figs, 2 and 4, of a number of plates 25, oined to each other by hinges 26, thus forming a continuous web-like belt or apron which prevents the passage of coal through it for a purpose which will be hereinafter fully set forth. The plates 25 are so proportioned that they will correspond to the hexagonal sides of the drums 18 19 and run evenly over the same in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. Attached to alternate of the plates 25 are the elevatorbuckets 27, which are open at the top, as shown, and are preferably of a triangular form. At the lower part of the frame 10 and at the outer side thereof is located a shield 2Q, which lies opposite and above the lower drum 1S and'which serves to prevent particles of coal being thrown out from the boot of Y V\the elevator by the action of the buckets 27 moving rapidly into the coal. At the inner side of the upper part of the frame 10 and in line with the lower portion of the drum 19 is located an apron 29, rigidly mounted on the frame and adapted to have the buckets discharge thereinto. Mounted adjacent to the apron 29 and 'forming a continuation thereof is an extensible delivery-spout. rihis spout may be of any form desired, but is preferably constructed of a number of sections 30,

vided with latches 32, by which they may be locked in alinement with each other, as shown with respect to the two upper sections in Fig. 2. The uppermost section 30 is connected by a hinge 33 to the frame 10 and provided with an extensible brace 34, so that it may be adjusted to the position desired. From the apron 29 a shield 35 extends down the inner side of the elevator to the bottom thereof, effectually walling in this inner side, so as to prevent the loss of coal which may escape the apron 29. lVith reference to this construction it may be seen that the coal lying in the upwardly-moving buckets will begin to fall from the buckets when they assume the uppermost position shown with respect to one of the buckets in Fig. 3. The coal will fall forward in the direction of the movement of the buckets, and by means of the continuous conveyer-belt formed by the jointed plates 25 the coal is guided forward along the conveyer-belt until it strikes the bottom of the inverted next adjacent bucket, which then forms a sort of chute, guiding the coal outward into the apron 29 and from thence into the chute proper. By this means, therefore, l am able to direct into the chute practically all of the coal lifted by the buckets. The almost imperceptible percentage of coal which escapes the apron 29 will fall inside of the shield 35 and be returned to the barge. It will thus be seen that by means of the apparatus which l have provided it is impossible for any part of the coal to be lost overboard in the loading operation.

The apparatus is adjusted with respect to the ship so that the extensible chute will project either into or directly adjacent to the coaling-port of the ship. ln Fig. 1 it is shown projecting directly adjacent to the coaling-port; but if the distributer-hood be arranged as shown in Fig. 5 the chute should then be projected into the port, so as properly to discharge the coal into the distributer.

36 indicates the hood, which is fitted in the coaling-port and may or may not form a part of the distributer, as desired.

The distributer comprises two sections 37 and 3S, having extensible connection with each other in any desired manner-for example, by the overlapping parts 39. (Best shown in Fig. 5.) Each section 37 and 38 is provided with a drum 40, and over these drums passes the conveyer-belt L11, which may be of any desired form. One of the sections, preferably the section 3S, is provided with a number of rollers 42, over which the conveyer-belt is run in the manner shown in Fig. 5, so that the extension or contraction of the conveyer will not affect the necessary tautness of the belt.

43 indicates a motor which is mounted in the section 3S and connected by a train of gear elements 4A with the drum 40 thereof,

hinged together, as indicated at 31, and prol so as to drive the drum, and consequently the apron. The motor 43 is preferably of the electric type, and the gearing 44 may be of any sort desired-for instance, the belt-andpulley arrangement shown.

At the receiving end of the conveyer a boot 45 is located, this boot being juxtaposed to the coal-port of the ship, so that as the coal is discharged from the chute into the port it is gathered by the boot 45 and guided onto the apron or belt 41, which moving in,- ward carries the coal to the inner end of the distributer and discharges it therefrom.

ln F ig. 6 various of the bunker-hatches are illustrated, and the distributer is arranged to deliver the coal first to one bunker and then to others as the bunkers are filled` To .facilitate this adjustment of the distributer, .l mount the receiving end thereof on a stepbearing 46, and the outer end is arranged to run on an arc-shaped track 47, connected with the bearing 46 by extensible braces 48, so that the track 47 may be moved outward from the step-bearing to follow the extension of the conveyer. Said track 47 is 'formed in sections, so that its shape :may be changed at will to correspond with the arc in which the outer end of the conveyor runs. At the outer end of the conveyer rollers 49 are located, these rollers being best shown in Fig. 7 and being carried on rods 50. Said rods have threaded portions Working in nuts 51, stationarjr on the conveyer-section 38, and hand-Wheels 52 are attached to the upper ends of the rods to facilitate the turning thereof. The lower ends of the rods are joined to the bearings of the rollers 49 by a connection 52, which facilitates the turning of the rods in the roller mounts or bearings. By this mechanism the inner' or discharge end of the conveyor may be raised or lowered at will. It will bc seen that by mounting the conveyer as described it may be turned around the center 46, so as to reach any of a group of bunker-hatches, and it also may be extended or contracted for the same purpose.

In the practical operation of the apparatus the barge is brought alongside of the ship, as is customary, and the elevator proper is adjusted so as to discharge into the coal-port. The conveyer is assembled Within the ship and arranged with the receiving end adjacent to the coal-port, so as to take the coal `from the discharge-chute of the elevator proper. The operation of the elevator proper and the conveyer is then started, and the coal is carried into the bunker in a continuously-moving stream. After one of the bunkers has been filled the operation may be stopped for a sufficient period to enable the conveyor to be shifted to the next hatch, and so on until all of a certain group of bunkers have been ililled. The elevating apparatus may then be shifted to another coal-port and the conveyer correspondingly changed, this operation going on until the complete coaling of the vessel has been effected. By this apparatus, therefore, l am enabled to do the greater part of the coaling mechanically, leaving only the mere trimming of the individual bunkers for manual work.

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention may be rcsorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence l consider myself entitled to all such variations as :may lie within the intent of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, l. claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenti. ln an apparatus for coaling ships, the combination of an elevator, means for mounting` the same outside of the ship, a dischargechute leading from the elevator to the coalport of the ship, a distributor located within the ship and receiving the coal 'from the elevater discharge-chute, and. mechanism for driving the elevator and distributer the said distributer comprising an apron and extensible frame-sections, for the purpose specified.

2. ln an apparatus for coaling ships, the combination of an elevator, means for mounting the same outside of the ship, a dischargechute leading from the elevator to the coalport of the ship, a (ilistributer located within the ship and adjacent to the eoalport and receiving the coal. from the discharge-chute, a step-bearing for the outboard end of the distributer, and a curved track on which the inboard end of the distributer runs.

3. ln an apparatus for eoaling ships, the combination of a frame, an elevating means mounted therein, mechanism for driving the elevating means, a eentrally-loeated suspension means attached to the upper part of the frame and connecting it with the ship, and a guy-arn1 at each side of the frame; said arms having sliding connectioii with the frame, and being adapted to engage the ship.

4. ln an apparatus for coaling ships, the combination of an elevator, means for suspending thc same from the ship at one side thereof, means for operating the elevator, a discharge-chute leading from. the upper portion of the elevator to the eoaling-port of the ship, a distributor located within the hold of the ship and extending horizontallyv 'from the coal-port to distrilimte or trim the coal, and means for operating the distributor.

5. ln an apparatus for coaling ships, the combination of an elevator, means for suspending the same :from the ship at one side thereof, means for operating the elevator, a discharge-chute leading from the upper portion of the elevator to the eoaling-port of the ship, a distributer located within the hold of the ship and extending horizontally from the coal-port to distribute or trim the coal, and means for operating the distributer, the distributer having a hood projecting to the coalport to receive the coal from the chute.

combination of an elevator arranged to dis- 6. In anapparatus for coaling ships, the

charge into the coal-port in the side of the ship, means mounted on the vessel for sus pending the elevator from the vessel at one side thereof, means for operating the elevator, and means Within the vessel for horizontally distributing the coal said means eX- tending from the coal-port.

7. In an apparatus for coaling ships, the combination of a frame and elevating means thereon, means for driving the elevating means, the driving means being mounted on the frame, means mounted on the ship and connected with the upper part of the frame to suspend the same from the ship, and guy devices at each sideA of the frame said devices being in connection With the frame and With the ship.

S. In an apparatus for coaling ships, the combination of a frame and elevating means thereon, means for driving the elevating means, the driving means being mounted on the frame, means mounted on the ship and connected with the upper part of the frame to suspend the same from the ship, and guy devices at each side of the frame said devices being in connection with the frame and With the ship, and said devices comprising` arms adapted removably to engage the ship and having sliding connection With the elevatorframe.

9. The combination of an elevator-frame, elevating devices mounted thereon and comprising drums, an endless belt running over the same, the belt being formed of a series of plates hinged together, and buckets attached to the belt, a discharge-chute mounted on the frame, and a shield mounted on the frame and extending along the same downward from the discharge-chute- 10. The combination of a frame, elevating devices mounted thereon, a discharge-chute i at the upper part of the frame and receiving l the material handled from the elevating devices, and a shield attached to the frame and extending along the same downward from the discharge-chute.

ll. In an apparatus for coaling ships, the combination of an elevator, means for mounting same outside of the ship to discharge the or distributing the coal, said means eXtending from the coal-port and means for operating said trimming or distributing means.

13. The combination of a frame7 drums mounted respectively at the end portions thereof, the drums being of angular crosssectional form, elevating devices mounted on the drums and comprising a number of plates hingedly connected together to form a continuous endless belt or apron, the belt or apron running over the drums and the plates of the belt or apron being of a length corresponding to the Width of the plain faces of the said angular drums and the elevating devices also comprising buckets attached to certain of the plates, the buckets being spaced from each other and having a plat-e of the apron intervening each bucket and the buckets adjacent thereto, and means for operating the elevating devices.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tivo subscribing Witnesses.

LGUIS A. DE MAYO. lVitnesses Isaac B. OWENS, JNO. M. RITTER. 

